by Elena Lawson
I leaned back, puzzled. “What exactly am I looking at?”
Ethan grinned wide and planted a kiss on my forehead. “It’s you,” he said in a breath. “Well, a part of you. I took a few samples of your blood and marrow from the lab.”
He must’ve seen the horror on my face because he hastily added, “Don’t worry, I asked Azrael first. Did you really think I’d steal from a thousand-year-old vampire?”
Right. Ethan was a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them.
“So, what did you do with the samples?”
His ears turned pink again. “Well, I can’t be sure without testing it, but I think I’ve synthesized a type of ink that would not only bind to vampire flesh but would allow the wearer to walk in sunlight.”
“What?”
“I’m not certain yet—”
“You did it?” I squealed.
Ethan tipped his head, clearly uncomfortable with my praise. “It needs to be tested,” he reminded me. “And even if it did work, it wouldn’t be permanent. Just like a tattoo fades, the concentrated elixir I synthesized from your blood would also fade.”
I took his face between my hands and forced him to look me in the eyes. “It’s a start,” I told him, smiling. “A really good fucking start.”
Maybe with this Azrael could fill in the gaps. Figure out the rest of what was needed to make it permanent. Maybe soon, he wouldn’t need me anymore…and I could be with my guys.
My heart swelled and a warmth spread over my body at the thought. I could have cried.
“All that’s left to do now is test it,” Ethan said, casting his gaze to the floor.
Wait…what? I’d been so excited; I’d forgotten about that part. “You don’t mean…?”
He gave me a strained expression. “Who else?”
“No.”
Ethan moved to rub my back. “If it doesn’t work, then I’ll only be burned. It’ll hurt, but I’ll heal.”
“No.”
He busted out the big guns in the form of a very stern Ethan look, complete with a hard gaze and the deepening of his voice. It didn’t suit him. “Rose, I’m doing this whether you like it or not.”
“Doing what?” A deep timbre asked, and Ethan and I spun to see Frost in the doorway, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
Blake trailed behind him, squinting into the room. “What’s going on? It sounded like a cat was being gutted.”
I pursed my lips. I didn’t squeal that loud.
I climbed from Ethan’s lap and pointed at him accusingly. “Ethan here thinks he’s found a way to make a vampire able to walk in sunlight using some scienced-up version of my blood and blood marrow…”
They looked between Ethan and I, aghast, slightly mortified, and more than a little stricken.
“I know,” I said, drawing out the words. “Super awesome, right? But the idiot thinks I’m about to let him test it on himself and go walking out into the sunlight.”
When I didn’t get the immediate barrage of backup I’d anticipated, I snapped my fingers in front of their dumbstruck faces. “Hello,” I said. “Anybody home. Did you hear what I said? A little backup would be—”
“I’ll do it,” Frost volunteered. “I’ll test it.”
I groaned. “That’s not what I—”
“Me too,” Blake intoned, stepping forward. “What do we need to do, Eth?”
“Nobody is going to test this. We have no idea what will happen,” I stepped in front of them, blocking them from moving any further into the small laboratory.
Ethan made a strangled sound in his throat and I turned. “Do you have so little faith in me?” he asked, the disappointment clear in his expression.
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t give me that face. Of course, I have faith in you, but this is—”
“It doesn’t seem like you do.” Frost crossed his arms over his chest and glared down the length of his nose at me. “If Ethan says he thinks he’s done it—then he’s probably done it.”
“Yeah,” Blake added. “Guy’s a genius. Or did you forget that?”
Frustrated and near my boiling point, I clenched my fists and stepped back, gritting my teeth. They weren’t playing fair. That isn’t what I fucking meant, and they knew it. They were playing me. The glimmer in Frost’s green eyes, and the ghost of a smirk on Blake’s lips were a dead giveaway.
“Fine,” I roared, throwing my hands up. “You want to risk it, then go right ahead. But don’t come crying to me when you walk back in that door looking like burnt toast.”
Smugly, Frost and Blake both snickered. Blake even tossed me a wink. Cheeky bastard.
“Now that we have permission,” Frost said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Tell us what we need to do.”
Ethan rolled over to a tall metal shelf at the far end of the room and picked up a tattoo gun from the second tier. His steeped tea eyes flashed mischievously at Frost. “Looks like you’re going to have to let me tattoo you, after all.”
20
The smug look on Frost’s face evaporated when Ethan explained to him what exactly he’d concocted. Turns out, having a best friend who was a tattoo artist—and an incredible one at that—wasn’t enough to tempt Frost into getting any sort of ink.
Even Ethan had one tattoo. It was on the inside of his forearm—a simple runic symbol I didn’t recognize. He admitted that he only had that single one because he’d needed to test out his vampire-healing-resistant ink. That and he wanted some practice on actual flesh before he would tattoo anyone. Practice skins were only so close to the real thing.
Unlike Blake, neither of them could think of anything they wanted to have on their bodies for…well, for their entire immortal lives. I got it. It was a big commitment. Who was to say they wouldn’t get tired of looking at whatever they’d decided on two-hundred years prior?
I found a nail file in the bathroom and was grumbling to myself as I sat in the stairwell, filing my jagged nails back into their trademark sharp points. The black polish I usually kept on them was chipped and scratched and in dire need of replacement, but I supposed that would have to wait. I didn’t think the guys kept that sort of thing lying around the apartment.
The sound of the tattoo gun humming downstairs kept me on edge. What if this didn’t work? What if it had the opposite effect and they all burst into immediate flames? What if the ink they needled into their skin poisoned them somehow? What if it killed them?
And then, even more terrifying, what if it worked? What would that mean? For me?
For them?
For us?
My status as The Black Rose: a moderate threat against vampire kind would be instantaneously elevated to Rose Ward: the most coveted blood-bag in all the lands. If word spread about what my blood could do…
I shuddered.
It wasn’t that I was worried about myself. I could hide. And I’d always been damned good at running.
But the guys…
That wasn’t a life I wanted for them.
I heard a deep laugh from down the stairs and listened as the humming sound cut off. I discarded the nail file and made my way back down, ready to play nice. The idiots obviously survived getting the ink laced with my blood needled into their skin, so that was promising.
They’d asked me to draw the heavy rolling curtains in the front of the shop earlier so Ethan could get at the rest of his equipment. I walked through the back room that they’d converted into a lab, and as I sauntered through the door leading out into the main shop, I found the three of them talking quietly as their gazes flicked back and forth to the windows.
I thought I heard Frost say something along the lines of, maybe we should just open the door.
Here we go, I thought.
This better fucking work.
“So, what’d you get?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest—unable to keep the scowl from my face. When they were ready, I would open the curtains a crack and see what happened. They were nuts if they thought I was going to let
any of them try to walk out the door into full sunlight.
It was three in the afternoon. The sun would be high in the sky and hot and lethal.
Three sets of eyes turned to meet my gaze. Ethan grinned. Blake smirked. And Frost still had that infuriating smug look on his face.
“Well?” I asked again, and Frost rose from the tattoo chair where he’d been sitting, shirtless, as Ethan worked on him. Ethan was removing his gloves and setting his equipment back into the gleaming stainless-steel caddy he had next to them.
His shop was even nicer inside than it looked outside. With industrial style beams and light fixtures set into the antique walls. Plush worn brown leather benches for seating and a matching tattoo chair. It was simple and yet distinguished. I wondered which of the guys did the decorating or if they’d hired out.
“Don’t be mad,” Ethan said preemptively.
I cocked my head as he stood and moved to stand next to Blake and Frost.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t be mad about what?”
That was when I noticed what was tattooed onto Frost’s left pec. And on the side of Blake’s neck. On Ethan’s opposite forearm.
They had all gotten the same design. It was a flower.
A rose.
A black rose in full bloom.
My mouth dropped open, but whatever I’d been about to say—whatever scolding remark—died in my throat. I swallowed past the lump there and pursed my lips to attempt to stop the traitorous tears from pricking at my eyes. My throat burned with the effort of keeping them at bay.
“Well that’s…” I began, barely managing to keep the thickness from my voice. “Um…”
“See guys, I told you she wouldn’t be mad,” Blake said in his smoky voice, licking his lips as he turned back to me.
Mad? How could I be mad?
Out of anything they could’ve chosen, they’d decided that the one thing they’d all be comfortable with having on their bodies for the rest of their lives was something that would remind them of me.
My heart ached in my chest and when I finally found the air to breathe, I decided words wouldn’t be enough and crossed the distance between us, folding myself into them.
Frost, Blake, and Ethan wrapped their arms around me. Someone planted a kiss on the top of my head. Someone’s thumb was rubbing my shoulder. And a wide hand rubbed my back.
The scents of leather, vanilla, cloves, and Ethan’s trademark nautical cologne enveloped me, bringing me a sense of peaceful calm I hadn’t had since I was a kid.
“You sure you want to have to be reminded of my annoying ass every day for the rest of forever,” I choked, brushing the back of my hand over my eyes as they pulled away.
Blake shrugged.
Ethan offered me a small smile and nodded.
Frost made a joking face and ran a hand over his silvery hair. “Too late now,” he said. “Looks like we’re stuck with your annoying ass for good.”
“So, are we doing this?” Blake asked after a beat of silence. “I’d rather get the pain over with quick in case it doesn’t work. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want our Rose to have to play nanny to three burn victims for the rest of her visit.”
He had a point.
“We open the blinds a crack,” I said, gulping. “If you feel any pain at all, I’ll drop them back down.”
There really wasn’t any need for anyone to get seriously hurt here. Tiny burns I could help them heal. I’d give each of them as much blood as I could spare. Make sure they got healed up fast.
“Okay,” Ethan agreed. “That works.”
Frost nodded his agreement. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this barbecue going.”
Ethan shook his head. It made me feel a bit better that out of all of us, Ethan seemed the calmest. He didn’t seem worried about it not working at all.
Either he was putting on a brave face to show confidence in his theory, or he really was that confident it would work. I prayed it was the latter as I stepped up to the window and took hold of the chain that, when pulled, would lift the heavy curtain.
Their faces grew hard as my fingers closed around the chain. Blake’s jaw tightened, and a vein in Frost’s neck grew to twice its usual thickness as he clenched his fists and his face reddened.
“Fuck Rose,” Frost cursed. “Just do it.”
I held my breath and lifted the curtain about ten inches.
They reeled back, hissing. I was about to drop it back down when I noticed the hissing had stopped, and though their fangs were out and their faces were strained, the bar of sunlight crossing over their nether regions didn’t seem to be burning them. Good thing, or I’d have accidently barbecued three sausages.
“Shit,” Frost cursed, frozen solid as he stared down at the patch of sunlight on his junk as though afraid to move and break the spell that was keeping his manly bits from being singed off.
“Um…” I let go of the chain. “Can the sunlight get you through your clothes normally?” I asked as I realized that none of them had bare skin exposed to the sunlight, just the top part of their jeans.
“No,” Blake replied, slowly moving his bare hand down toward the light. “But the dispersion of the natural light should be at least singing us…” he trailed off. “Right Eth?”
Ethan nodded. “Yeah,” he said, breathless as his mind worked to comprehend it all. His eyes unfocused and darting as he, too, lowered his hand toward the light.
I gritted my teeth as they all reached into the bar of sunlight as though they were willingly about to submerge their hands into a vat of acid.
I squinted my eyes closed, unable to watch, until I heard a deep bellowing laugh and opened them to find Frost with his green eyes wide and a smile on his face so wide it showed all his teeth. Ethan joined him in the laughing fit. Even Blake was smiling a real, genuine smile. Their skin wasn’t burning.
It…it worked…
Well, fuck me sideways.
Unable to tear my gaze away, I watched as they played in the light, twisting their hands and wiggling their fingers.
In a flash of white blond hair and sinewy muscle, Frost was at my side. He lifted me, spinning me in a great big circle before he smooched me loudly on the lips and tore the curtain from the window, taking the whole cartridge system with it. He tossed it to the other end of the tattoo parlor, and it smashed into a shelf against the wall, knocking a bunch of pictures off to crash and shatter all over the floor.
I giggled as he bared himself to the light, puffing out his chest with a shit-eating grin on his usually grumpy face.
He was the proverbial bull in the china shop. But he was my bull, so I guess it was alright. I’d make him help Ethan clean up the mess later.
Blake and Ethan’s eyes narrowed to slits as they shielded their eyes from the onslaught of sunlight, carefully making their way into the light, too. The four of us stood there, staring out into the street, up above the trees in the park across the street and into the clouds, where the mid-day sun was shining brightly in the summertime sky.
I noticed the strange stares of the shoppers as they passed by, curiously examining the sexy guys all standing awkwardly with wide grins in the window of the shop. I didn’t think they noticed or cared.
I giggled again and wrapped an arm around Ethan’s shoulders, leaning into him. “You really fucking did it,” I said incredulously.
“Told you,” he snickered.
My mind was exploding with possibility. My heart light as the aura of bliss from the guys washed over me. They didn’t think they would ever see the sun again. Wouldn’t ever feel its warm rays.
It was in part because of me that they now could. We didn’t know how long it would last, or what other side-effects it may have, but for now, it was a victory. No matter how fleeting.
I noticed the hearse still parked across the street from the building. The driver sitting in the driver’s seat with a glazed over look as he stared straight ahead. He hadn’t even noticed our li
ttle spectacle. The surprise of realizing he’d probably been there the whole time, waiting for orders to return me to the cave, was short lived as I remembered what this meant.
“We have to tell Azrael,” I said in a rush.
Ethan’s smile faltered. “Do you think he’ll finally let you go?”
“Only one way to find out.”
21
The guys and I stepped out of the shop and into the afternoon sun.
“Fuck man,” Blake said, shielding his eyes. “Your pasty ass is blinding.”
He wasn’t wrong. In the sun, Frost shone like a beacon. His usually tan skin had lightened considerably since he’d become a vampire. Making him look like a ghost of his former self. And shirtless as he was, I was surprised his paleness didn’t blind oncoming drivers as we crossed the road.
“Speak for yourself,” Frost grunted. “Goth bitch.”
I chuckled.
Right again. In the sunlight with his pale skin, and dark hair and eyes, as well as the whorls of black ink etched into his skin, Blake did look sort of gothic. Like a prince of the underworld come to wreak havoc on earth.
Ethan was the only one who seemed unchanged. But then, with all the hours he spent in front of his computer, or with his nose in a book while we were young, being pale was just the norm for him.
“Hey,” I said and knocked a knuckle against the window of the hearse to get the driver’s attention. Nonplussed, he turned his glazed eyes on me and opened the door. Stepped out.
He didn’t speak, just stared at me as though waiting for instruction. He didn’t even show so much as a lick of shock at the fact that there were three vampires outside in broad daylight. The poor fucker had to be compelled to within an inch of his life.
“I need to get ahold of Azrael,” I told him in a low voice as three older women strolled past, making no secret out of the fact that they were openly ogling my guys. They slowed as they passed, making it even more difficult for me to have this conversation without mortals overhearing it.
“…I’d butter him up and…” I overheard the snippet of conversation and a hot bolt of fury raced down my spine. I turned and sneered at them.